Try the following three rebuttals for most of the objections that you encounter. In fact, these three simple responses are not only effective, they are malleable. They can fit just about every situation, probably about 90% of the objections that you encounter.

But first, an exercise. This is your homework. Do this exercise as a team with your peers and colleagues at your next meeting. Answer the following question as a group: ďWhat are my most common objections?Ē and create a list. Youíll find that you probably have no more than six objections, with four of them being used about 90 percent of the time. Create responses to those objections, responses that are focused on the other personís best interests, not yours. Sure, you want to make a placement and collect your fee, but why should that stellar candidate look at your clientís opportunity? Why should that client give you the retainer compared to another recruiter that he has been dealing with for five years?

Response Number One:

"Thatís exactly why you should consider this." Close on the objection. Find out why they are saying no, and tell them thatís why they should use you. Youíll figure out the reason why, usually right after you say it. And usually the reason you come up with will make sense to them. People love to hear counterintuitive logic that benefits them. Be daring. Be shocking. But be realistic in what you tell your prospect.

Example:

Client: "We canít use your firm. You have no experience in our industry."

Recruiter: "Thatís exactly why you should hire our firm."

Client: "What do you mean?"

Recruiter: "Because we can bring a fresh approach and perspective to your company. You and I both know that right now the same old approach isnít what the market needs. The market needs fresh and innovative ideas, and thatís why I feel our firmís inexperience in your industry is a BENEFIT to you. Thatís exactly why you should consider us."

Try this on your next candidate recruit call:

Candidate: "Iíve been with this company twenty years. I donít want to leave."

Recruiter: "Thatís exactly why you should consider this opportunity."

Candidate: "What do you mean?"

Recruiter: "Because most of the people that do well with this company had long tenure with their previous company."

Response Number Two:

"We can complement what youíre already doing." This response is perfect for that client who says they have an internal recruiter or another search firm working on the assignment.

Response Number Three:

"One of my best clients said the same thing when I first made contact with them." People are more inclined to believe someone else than you.

This also follows one of the principles of influence called "Social Proof." When you tell a prospect a story, they automatically become interested since our society thrives on stories. Just like in the movies. Tell them what your clientís objection was, their reluctance at first to continue going forward, the decision they made to overcome that objection, and now the specific benefit that they are deriving from choosing to work with you. This is why this works: Your prospects will believe some of what you say, but will believe most of what someone else says or does. People look to others for assurance that itís okay to go to the next step. If others have made the same decision ahead of them, then certainly it would make sense for them to consider it.

Here's the catch with using rebuttals, stories, and examples: they have to be true. Don't ruin our industry with lies and untruths. If you can't make it with ethics in this business, then you don't deserve to be in it.

One final note: Take advantage of the synergy in your office. Print this out, give it to your manager, and use this free article as the basis of your next training meeting. Use the exercise at the beginning of this article to create a document that will become part of your standard operating procedures. Define all of your objections, create rebuttals that you can use in your scenarios, and train, train, train on them. Make them sound natural and convincing. The training that you do before you get on the phone will increase your effectiveness in overcoming objections significantly.

- Scott Love

Get Scott's Recruiter Training Video Clip, "Three Steps to Bigger Billings" at www.recuitingmastery.com and learn the secrets of high performing recruiters.

Scott Love shows recruiters how to achieve success by following a simple and step-by-step system. His recruiter training website has many free articles, tools, and downloads that can help you bill more. Visit www.recruitingmastery.com